In the weeks leading up to their final exams, we provided 1000 hours of free online tutoring to 100 Year 12 students from under-represented backgrounds. This came as part of a partnership with UNSW鈥檚 Access & Equity student outreach program,听Gateway (.
With the pressure of the HSC exams now finally behind them, we听sat down with a few听students to听chat about听their experience and听plans for the future.听Here鈥檚 what they had to say:听
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Krisha,听Pendle Hill High School听
Tutored for:听Advanced English听听
鈥淚 want to make my parents and teachers proud because they鈥檝e put a lot of time and energy into helping me get this far.鈥澨�听
Her thoughts on 黑料网听
HSC prep was challenging with COVID, but I adjusted to online learning and the tutoring helped me prepare for the HSC and gave me some good study techniques.听
The tutor听was听really nice听and patient and if I asked听him a question ten听times,听he听was听okay to answer it. Every session听was听focused on what I wanted听to do, so before every session started, he asked听me what I听was听struggling with and what I wanted听extra help with.听听
I had like a breakthrough moment for paper 1,听Unseen Texts, which I found so difficult at the start, but after working with the tutor on it for like 3 sessions,听I felt听so much more confident taking the practice paper and it prepared me for the HSC.听听
I鈥檓 so grateful UNSW gave me the opportunity to have free tutoring through a skilled organisation like 黑料网.听
Her thoughts on the听Gateway听program
My friends and I received an email听about the program听and after speaking about it,听we decided to sign up. We all found the content听really helpful, and the sessions were easy to understand.听I enjoyed hearing from current UNSW students about what it鈥檚 like to be a听Uni student and it got me听really excited听to go to UNSW.听
What鈥檚 next for听Krisha?听听
I want to听go听to UNSW to study a Bachelor of Aviation and Flying. I want to be an Airline Pilot and see the world!听
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Carl L,听James Fallon High School听
Tutored for:听Chemistry听
鈥�I really think that the tutoring will be reflected in my HSC marks.鈥澨�听
His thoughts on 黑料网听
It helped me catch up on a lot that I missed out on at school due to COVID. It also made me stricter with听actually studying听and preparing notes because when you do the tutoring, you鈥檙e expected to have done the homework that they set and have knowledge on the content that you鈥檙e about to cover.听听
I specifically asked if we could review my Year 11 content for Chemistry instead of just doing Year 12 syllabus and they said yes without hesitation which was nice. The tutoring was completed at a pace that you set; there鈥檚 nothing holding you back from asking questions, especially because it鈥檚 one-on-one.听听
His thoughts on the听Gateway听program听听
My school posted about the program on its Facebook page so I saw it there and I was interested in what I could learn for Chemistry, English and Maths. I attended the subject-specific sessions they held, and they gave me strategies on how best to tackle tricky exam questions听
What鈥檚 next for Carl?听听
After Uni I really want to head to the US. I think there鈥檇 be some good job opportunities there and it would be nice for a change of scenery. I haven鈥檛 travelled much outside of Australia; I鈥檝e only ever been to the Philippines because that鈥檚 where my family is from.听
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Tara,听Elizabeth Macarthur High School听
Tutored for: Chemistry听听听
鈥淚 worked really hard, and I hope that all the effort I put in pays off!鈥�听
Her thoughts on 黑料网听
Tutoring听definitely impacted听my chemistry results! I went up a few ranks in my class and my marks were heaps better in my trials. My tutor went over content with me consolidating all the knowledge and gave me additional things, which weren鈥檛 necessarily in the syllabus, but they were sort of assumed.听听
Her thoughts on the听Gateway听program听听
I found it so interesting. I heard about it through school and my friend who did it in Year 11 convinced me to sign up. They gave us tips on how to answer听particular questions听for the HSC and what the markers are looking for in our answers.听听
I really liked that I could submit practice exam papers and have them professionally marked; the feedback was quite personalised which听was听great. It was also good to learn about the early conditional offer and how to apply. If I鈥檓 offered one, it reduces the ATAR required to get into UNSW by a lot.听
What鈥檚 next for Tara?听听
After my Bachelor of Science, I鈥檓 hoping to do postgraduate studies for Veterinary Medicine. I鈥檝e already had work experience in a听veterinary听clinic,听and I just love animals,听so being able to combine that with science feels like the right thing for me to do.听
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Jenna,听Muswellbrook听High School听
Tutored for:听Advanced Maths听
鈥淢y passion for exploring the world definitely drives me to succeed. I know my parents will be proud to see me go to听Uni and eventually establish a career.鈥�听
Her thoughts on 黑料网听
This听was听my first experience with an online tutor and I鈥檓 quite pleased with it.听听
The tutor听was听fabulous. Maths听was听probably the subject I struggled听with the most. I think the tutor does a really good job at explaining things on a level that teachers don鈥檛.听听
My strategy听was听to take what I听was听working on in my own time and divide it into areas that I really struggled听with and then ask the tutor to help me with those 鈥� so we听weren鈥檛听covering things听I was听already across. That鈥檚 probably the thing I enjoyed听most about the tutoring;听that it听was听personalised. I love the feeling you get when you understand a question and how to answer it. I think tutoring played a big part in helping me dissect difficult questions and听gave听me the confidence to tackle them.听听
Her thoughts on the听Gateway听program听听
I loved the HSC masterclasses.听I found them听really听helpful,听and it was great to go back and listen to the recordings and review areas that I wasn鈥檛 that confident with.听 I also liked hearing from the student ambassadors as they all had different stories about what it鈥檚 like being a听Uni student. It was good to hear about their experiences in different faculties.听
What鈥檚 next for听Jenna?听听
I plan on studying International Studies or International Relations. I don鈥檛 know what career I鈥檒l end up in but something that鈥檚 driving me to study International Relations is my passion for other cultures. Throughout High School I was studying Japanese and I hosted students from Japan; I also travelled there in January 2020. I want to turn my passion and interest of learning about different cultures into a career one day.听
Rebecca A, Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College,听The Entrance Campus听
Tutored for: English听Standard听
Her thoughts on 黑料网听
I had to change tutors after my first session just because the time didn鈥檛 match, but both tutors I had were excellent.听听
The tutoring听was so helpful, especially for听a听student like听myself听who can鈥檛 afford private tutoring fees. Having the opportunity to have free tutoring听was听amazing.听
It has helped me with English studies so much. We attempted some past questions and even though听the tutor听didn鈥檛听have听experience in marking HSC exams, he was a recent HSC student so听was听very familiar with the content and how to attempt those types of questions.听
Her thoughts on the听Gateway听program听听
The career advisor at my school recommended I join the program.听The most enjoyable thing about it was听being听able to meet and talk with year 12 students who are willing to follow their true passion and consistently strive for success despite adversity. By the end of the program,听I was听definitely more听motivated to study and persevere through the hard times.听听
I was听actually telling听my brother (in year 10) he needs to sign up for Gateway next year so he can also get the 黑料网 tutoring.听听
What鈥檚 next for听Rebecca?听听
I want to become a teacher because I love helping people. I see myself becoming a high school teacher and helping future generations find their true passion. I鈥檓 planning on studying a double degree of Finance and Secondary Education at UNSW.听I applied for early entry so I鈥檓 just waiting to hear the results.听
